The Facilitation Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced that it adopted amendments to the Facilitation Convention, which provide for the will make a single window for data exchange mandatory in ports around the world, marking an important step in accelerating digitalization in maritime transport.
Other amendments adopted include lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as new best practices to prevent corruption and illicit activities in the maritime sector.
The Facilitation Convention was adopted in 1965 and contains standards, recommended practices and rules to simplify the procedures, documents and formalities required for the arrival, stay and departure of ships. The Convention has been continuously updated, integrating digitalisation and automation into the procedures.
The amendments adopted at the 46th session of the Facilitation Committee, which met from 9 to 13 May 2022, are expected to enter into force on January 1, 2024.
In addition, the Committee approved the update of the compendium on facilitation and e-commerce; adopted guidelines to address illegal international trade in wildlife; and completed its scoping study on the regulation of maritime autonomous surface vessels (MASS).
Maritime One-Stop Shop
The amendments update the provisions of the Facilitation Convention on mandatory electronic data exchange in ports for the clearance of ships. Such amendments will require public authorities to establish, maintain and use sales systemssingle platform for the electronic exchange of information required for the arrival, stay and departure of ships in ports. In addition, public authorities shall combine or coordinate the electronic transmission of the required data on the arrival, stay and departure of ships, so as to ensure that the information is submitted only once and is reused to the greatest extent possible.
The Committee approved guidelines on the Authentication, integrity and confidentiality of information exchanges through maritime single windows and related services; and the revised guidelines for the establishment of a maritime single window.
Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic
The updated annex to the FAL Convention includes provisions arising from lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contracting Governments and their competent authorities must allow ships and vessels to operate in the maritime transport sector. ports remain fully operational during a public health emergency of international concernl, in order to maintain the full functionality of global supply chains to the greatest extent possible. Public authorities should ensure the designation of port workers and ship crew as essential workers (or equivalent), regardless of their nationality or the flag of their ships, when they are in their territory.
Fighting maritime corruption
The updates to the Facilitation Convention adopt a systemic approach to addressing the issue of corruption associated with the ship-shore interface in ports. Contracting Governments should encourage public authorities to assess corruption risks and address them by developing and implementing preventive measures to enhance integrity, transparency and accountability. The Committee approved guidelines for the application and adoption of procedures against maritime corruption.
New compendium on Facilitation and e-commerce
The Committee approved an updated version of the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Commerce (IMO Compendium). The new version includes the following five sets of new data: “Ship reporting systems”; “Ships and company certificates”; “Ship register and company details”; “Inspections” and “Port State control inspection history data”.
Preventing illegal international trade in wildlife
The Committee approved guidelines for the prevention and suppression of smuggling of wild fauna and flora on vessels engaged in international maritime traffic. These instruments are expected to serve to combat trafficking in wild fauna and flora in the maritime sector and their implementation should be in accordance with international law, in particular the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC, for its acronym in English) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Advances in EHS regulations
The Facilitation Committee approved the results of the regulatory scoping study, which reviewed relevant ship safety treaties under the Committee's jurisdiction to assess how maritime autonomous surface vessels (MASS) could be regulated.
It also agreed to the establishment of a joint MSC/LEG/FAL Working Group on MASS to advise and explore ways to address the common issues identified by the three committees.OMI Press Release)
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